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Resident Assistant (RA) Financial Aid

When you live on-campus as an undergraduate, your financial aid package is based on the fact that you will be billed for room and board. As an RA, you will not be billed for room and board, so your financial aid will be adjusted based on this cost difference – that is, since you earn your room and board, you can’t also be awarded financial aid for it.

Since RAs earn free room and board, your cost of attendance for the year will be lower than a other on-campus students. This adjustment is a federal requirement.

Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) each year is calculated based only on your family’s financial circumstances and aid application. Becoming an RA does not change your EFC.

Since the Cost of Attendance changes and your EFC stays the same, the amount of your financial need and aid package will change.

Since costs are lower but your EFC remains the same, your aid package will be reduced: Need-based loans and work-study are always eliminated first, and NU scholarship will only be reduced if necessary.

You will not have an additional work component (e.g., work-study) in your financial aid award, since you will already be working as an RA.

Your NU scholarship and other grants will still be available to cover costs beyond your EFC. You may even owe Northwestern less than you would otherwise.

In addition to room and board, RAs earn $500 per quarter.

We encourage you to speak one-on-one with a financial aid counselor to discuss how becoming an RA would impact your aid.

Example: Willie Wildcat

Willie currently lives on-campus, and wants to become an RA. His EFC is $9,000, and his regular financial aid package includes a loan, work-study, and NU scholarship.

"Regular" Financial Aid

RA Financial Aid

Cost of Attendance

$72,980

Cost of Attendance
(Difference: $15,489
room & board not included)

$56,933

Expected Family Contribution

$9,000

Expected Family Contribution
(stays the same)

$9,000

Financial Need

$63,980

Financial Need

$47,933

Subsidized Loan

$4,500

Subsidized Loan

$0

Federal Work-Study

$2,500

Federal Work-Study

$0

Northwestern Scholarship

$56,980

Northwestern Scholarship

$47,933

Total Financial Aid:

$63,980

Total Financial Aid:

$47,933

Willie normally owes Northwestern about $2,500 per quarter. His family covers this balance and helps him pay for his books, and Willie uses his work-study job to help cover his personal expenses, like toiletries, clothes, and entertainment.

NU Invoice: Living On-Campus

Fall

Winter

Spring

Charges

Tuition

$17,413

$17,413

$17,413

Fees

$183

$128

$128

Room & Board

$5,349

$5,349

$5,349

Total Charges:

$22,945

$22,890

$22,890

Credits

Northwestern Scholarship

$18,994

$18,993

$18,993

Subsidized Loan

$1,500

$1,500

$1,500

Total Credits:

$20,494

$20,493

$20,493

Balance Due to Northwestern:

$2,451

$2,397

$2,397

When he becomes an RA, he will not be billed for room/board, so his loan and work-study will be eliminated. His NU scholarship will continue to credit to his account, and he actually owes Northwestern less each quarter. His family will still help with his other expenses.